Obedient Unto the Honour of God

November 6, 1996 ~ Pickering Standard Church

After a conversation with a co-worker on how it is
the duty of a Christian to live to the honour of God instead of the honour of
self.

Isaiah 53:1-12 -Who
hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he
shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no
beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was]
bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers
is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from
judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the
land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he
made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had
done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the
LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul
an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and
the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the
travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore
will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil
with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was
numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.

A lot of emphasis is being placed, and has always
been placed, on personal honour. If you are a watcher of the Star Trek
group of shows you will be familiar with Klingons and their devotion to honour,
that all Klingons, except those who are renegades, behave in an honourable
manner. In other words, when it is in their best interest to stab you in
the back they will do so in an honourable way (Worf being the exception).
But on a more serious level, there are entire cultures in the world today that
are so organized as to allow their members to "save face" in potentially
embarrassing situations.

A co-worker and I were talking this week about
honour. For the last several months we have been "surfing the 'net" in
search of Christian resources and downloading hundreds of mega-bytes of writings
by well known and not so well known Christian writers. Lately he has
noticed that in much of the material which we obtained the emphasis has been, as
much as possible, to give honour and glory to God. Now this is unique in
our culture. Usually when someone makes public something which they have
written it is done to increase their honour by enhancing their reputation, or by
adding to their wealth, or by making their name more widely known. On
occasion I have done this myself. I used to write poetry regularly for my
friends to celebrate special times in their lives and even in as selfless an act
as writing a poem to give away to someone there was still the desire for
recognition, for one of my friends to say: "Hey! Look at what Peter did
for me, isn't that special?" That was not usually my primary motive but in
the back of my mind the desire for people to find out both that I wrote and what
I wrote. Just a casual look at the books on the book-store shelves these
days will indicate that, although there are many who write for "serious"
reasons, there are far many more who are hoping to get rich, or well known, or
more widely respected, through what they have written.

The difference noted previously is not so much due
to the two different groups of people doing the writing as it is to the change
that occurs in a person once they become a Christian in the sense conveyed by
the Bible. One need only look at the life of John Newton, the writer of the song
"Amazing Grace," to see evidence of this change. Previously a slaver, one
who bought and sold other human beings for his personal gain, upon his
conversion wrote a song of glory to God that is recognized world wide.
Recognized not because of the man who wrote it but because of the One to whom it
is dedicated.

We as Christians are encouraged to seek God's honour
instead of our own both in the subjection of our lives to the lordship of Jesus
Christ and by His example in His own life on earth. Think of it: Jesus
Christ, the man, was/is also the Son of God and yet He did not seek to have the
men and women of His day honour Him as their God and set up a physical kingdom
on earth. He did seek the honour of His contemporaries but only in such
away as to acknowledge Him as their Saviour, and He did seek to establish a
kindom but only in such a way as to follow the plans of His Father in Heaven.

John 18:33-37 -Then
Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto
him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing
of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?
Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast
thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were
of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to
the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto
him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To
this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should
bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Paul writes in Philippians that Jesus did not seek
to grasp the opportunity provided to Him on Earth as the Son of God but that He
obeyed His Father to the point of death and beyond.

Philippians 2:1-11 -If
[there be] therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye
be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. [Let]
nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and
given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things]
under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is]
Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And the writer of Hebrews shows that Jesus' reward
of having everything placed under His authority and becoming the High Priest of
all the saved was directly the result of His having been obedient during His
earthly life.

Hebrews 5:1-10 - For
every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things
[pertaining] to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who
can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for
that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he
ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man
taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that
said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also
in another [place], Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned
he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of
God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Now we as Christians are encouraged to act in the
same manner as Jesus Christ by Jesus Himself:

Mark 8:34-38 -And when
he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto
them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall
save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he
cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Even to the point of humbly submitting to all that
others wish to do to us, as evidenced by the example of Moses at the time in his
life when he was the leader of, and God's chosen representative of Himself to,
the nation of Israel, then a community of several million men, women, and
children.

Numbers 12:1-16 - And
Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he
had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the
LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD
heard [it]. (Now the man Moses [was] very meek, above all the men which [were]
upon the face of the earth.) And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto
Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the
congregation. And they three came out. And the LORD came down in the pillar of
the cloud, and stood [in] the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and
Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be
a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a
vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses [is] not so,
who [is] faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth,
even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD
shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my
servant Moses? And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he
departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam
[became] leprous, [white] as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold,
[she was] leprous. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee,
lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have
sinned. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he
cometh out of his mother's womb. And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal
her now, O God, I beseech thee. And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father
had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be
shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in
[again]. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people
journeyed not till Miriam was brought in [again]. And afterward the people
removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

We are taught in

Deuteronomy 32:35-36 - that
vengeance for the misdeeds done to us belongs to God, He will repay our
persecutors for all that they do to us. This teaching is repeated in the
New Testament:

Hebrews 10:30-31 - For
we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense,
saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. [It is] a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

All of which indicates that we are not to seek our
personal revenge against our persecutors but to leave this in the hands of God.
We are actually taught by the Bible to forgive our enemies just as Christ
forgave those who nailed Him to the cross as He was dying upon it. Paul,
too, repeatedly stoned, whipped, and imprisoned, continued to preach the gospel
of salvation even to his persecutors, hoping for their salvation above his own
wellbeing. This concept may be extended to encompass our entire lives.
Paul again writes in Philippians that:

Philippians 3:1-11 -
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to
me indeed [is] not grievous, but for you [it is] safe. Beware of dogs, beware
of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence
in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other
man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is
in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss
for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any
means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Paul counted everything of this life as garbage (or
"dung" in the KJV) when compared to the joy of fellowship with Christ.
When you look at Paul's credentials:

- circumcised according to
God's covenant with Abraham

- a true child of Israel

- of the tribe of Benjamin,
with Judah the faithful tribe to God

- a Hebrew of the Hebrews

- a Pharisee, a teacher of
the Hebrews who himself studied under

Gamaliel, the
greatest of all teachers of the Hebrews

- zealous to the point of
putting to death the Christian "heretics"

- blameless according to
the law

that was quite a statement. Earlier in the
same letter Paul wrote that:

Philippians 1:18-26 -
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth,
Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I
know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply
of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and [my]
hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [that] with all boldness, as
always, [so] now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether [it be] by
life, or by death. For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. But if
I live in the flesh, this [is] the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose
I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to
be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh [is]
more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide
and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your
rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you
again.

His most important goal was that Christ would be
glorified through him. If this is the example set by the greatest evangelist in
Christian history, if this is the example set by Christ Himself who subjected
Himself to His Father's will even to death, if this is the example of great
Christians throughout the ages, can we do less than allow God, and to wish for
Him to be glorified through our lives. If we are rich or poor, clean or
dirty, sich or healthy, in all things we should seek most that which will give
glory to God. Great then will be our reward when we meet God at the end of
our lives to hear the words we all will long to hear:

Matthew 25:23 -Well
done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Remembering always that the only way in which we can
live in this way is to truly have faith in God, that He cares and that He will
always love us.